Push car



Y Feb. 16111943. H. s. BROWN Erm.

PUSH GAR Filed March 29, 1941 Hw" WIWI" vvl.-lllillllllllllll Patented Feb. 16, 1943 PUSH CAR Hugh S. Brown, Harvey, and Godfrey E. Thomson, Chicago, Ill., assignors to The Buda Company, Harvey, Ill.,"a corporation of Illinois Application March 29, 1941, Serial No. 385,882

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to push cars, and more particularly to push cars of the type used by railroads for transporting rails and other heavy articles.

In transporting rails for short distances, it is common to place one end of the rails on one push car and the other end of the rails on a second push car. The rails bend downwardly in the middle, with the result that the rails rest on the rear edge of the platform of the forward push car and the forward Vedge of the'platform of the rear push car. Where rails are carried on a sin- `gle car, the middle of the rails bows upwardly and the rails likewise rest on the forward and rear edges of the platform.

The platforms of these push cars are commonly made of Wood, and the weight of the rails resting on the edges of these platforms results in excessive wear and mutilation of these edges. This wear and mutilation is intensified by the twisting action of the rails on the edges as the cars traverse turns, and is also increased by careless loading and unloading of the rails.

Various expedients have been adopted in an ,25

endeavor to overcome this excessivewear on the end edges of the platforms of push cars.- In some instances, metal sho-d wooden bolsters have car platforms. This practice is objectionable in that these bolsters break thecontinuity of the upper surface of the car platform and render the car less suitable for carrying other articles or equipment.

Another expedient has been to provide the end edges of the car platforms with angle irons screwed or nailed to the edges of the platforms. Such angle irons are frequently caught by the edges of the rails or by projecting members attached to the rails and are torn free of the platform.

An object of our invention is to provide a push car particularly adapted for railroad Work and wherein the edges of the car platform are adequately protected Aagainst undue wear and mutilation.

Another object is to provide a push car wherein the sideedges of the platform are made of material having a greater resistance to wear, whereby excessive wear or mutilation of the side edges of the platform will be avoided.`

Another object is to provide a car having an Yimproved frame whereby the vcar is' lighter,

stronger and more adaptable than those now in use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a push car embodying one form of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the car shown in' Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 47-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig; 5 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 4, but illustrating a second embodiment of our invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2 we have illustrated a push car having a frame comprising a pair of longitudinally extending channel irons III and I2 connected at their opposite ends by tubes I4 and I6, which are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the channel irons III and I2. Bearing members I8, 20, 22 and 24 are bolted to the side members I Il and I2 and provide bearings for the axle and wheel assemblies 26 and 28. In order to reduce weight, the wheels are preferably made of pressed steel and are provided with the usual flanges to adapt them for travel on the conventional railroad track, indicated in Fig. 1,.`

In Figs. 1 and 2` we have shown transverse channel irons 35 and 32 welded to side members IIJ and I2 adjacent the ends thereof, and between the transverse channel irons 39 and 32 we have illustrated three transversely extending angle irons 34, 36 andy 38 likewise welded to the upper edges of the side members I3 and I2. It will be understood, however, that while three transverse angle irons are shown in the embodiment illustrated, the number of such angle irons will vary -with the length of the pushv car and may also vary with the weight to be carried thereby.

The center angle iron 36 is further connected to the side members I0 and I2 by reinforcing gussets 4I and 42, which are preferably welded jto the angle iron 36 and the side members I6 and I2,` respectively. The center portions of the ltransverse channel irons 3E! and 32 and the angle irons 34, 36 and 38 are connected by a longitudinal metal strip 44 preferably welded thereto. In the embodiment illustrated, couplings 46 and 48v are shown as welded to the opposite ends of Athe strip 44, and each coupling is also welded to one of the tubes I4 or I6.'

"The couplings 46 and 48 permit the push car to -be connected with other push cars in a train and pulled by a motor car. rIhe arrangement of the strip 44 and couplings 46 and 48 is such that the pull from a forward car to a rear car is transmitted directly through the strip 44, and thereby relieves the other frame members of unnecessary stresses.

Where the push car is not intended to be connected to av motor car or to other push cars, the couplings 46 and 48 may be omitted, and the omission or inclusion of these coupling members does not change any other part of the car structure.

The car frame is also provided with a diagonal brace which, in the embodiment shown, is in the form of an angle iron 50 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the channel irons 30 and 32, the transverse angle irons 34 and 33, and the longitudinal strip 44.

Floor supporting sills 52, 54 and 56 are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the transverse angle irons 34, 36 and 33. We have found that for practical purposes it is unnecessary that the angle irons 34, 36 and 38 be as long as the wooden sills 52, 54 and 56, and to conserve weight and reduce expense we preferably make the angle irons 34, 36 and 38 shorter than the sills 52, 5A and 56 although these angle irons may be made the same length as the sills, if desired. f

The main portion of the floor or platform is formed by relatively thin boards 58 (Fig. 4) extending lengthwise of the car. These boards are usually formed of soft wood, such as pine, and are screwed, nailed, or otherwise suitably attached to the sills 52, 54 and 56. The longitudinal edges of the platform are preferably formed by thicker boards 66 of suitable hard wood and the ends of the sills are notched out to receive these thicker boards, which are preferably bolted to the sills 52, 54 and 56, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

The ends of the boards 53 and 60 are preferably tapered, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, to conform to the tapered inner surfaces 62 of the transverse channel irons. The ends of the boards 58 and 60 rest upon adjustable wooden sills 64 which have tapered lower edges 66 conforming to the tapered surfaces 68 of the transverse channel irons.

The sills 64 are attached to the transverse channel irons 30 and 32 by bolts 10, and the sills 64 are preferably made of such depth that they assume the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 when initially installed. In this position they firmly press the ends of the boards 58 and 60 against surfaces 62 provided by the transverse channel irons. If the boards 58 and 66 and sills 64 shrink as a result of further drying out, the bolts 'l0 can be tightened up so that the ends of the boards 58 and 6D are again forced tightly against the surfaces 62 of the transverse channel irons.

It will be noted that the upper edges of the transverse channel irons 3l] and 32 extend an appreciable distance above the wooden floor `or platform, so that any rails which are carried by the car will rest upon one or both of these transverse channel irons and not upon the edges of the wooden platform. Likewise, in loading and unloading rails, any Contact between the rails and the ends of the push car will merely result in the rails striking against a channel iron 3 or 32 and will not cause any mutilation or undue wear of the wooden platform. The transverse channel irons 30 and 32 are securely Welded to the car frame and cannot be pulled away from the ends of the wooden platform as are the conventional aeinaos angle irons which are screwed or nailed to the ends of the Wooden platform.

The channel irons shown in Figs. 3 and 4; are of the conventional rolled variety having inclined surfaces 62 and 68. In Fig. 5 we have shown a pressed steel channel iron 8D which lacks the inclined inner surfaces 62 and 68 of the channel irons shown in the previous embodiment. Where a pressed steel channel iron of the kind shown in Fig. 5 is used, we preferably provide 'a wooden Stringer 82 having an inclined upper surface 84 and attach this Stringer to the inside of the channel iron 80 by bolts 86 or in any other suitable manner. The adjustable sill 64a is provided with a tapered lower surface 66a conform- Y ing to the tapered surface 8:3, and is adjustablir attached to the channel iron by bolts 88.

The adjustable sill 64a of Fig. 5 functions in identically the same manner as adjustable sill 64 of the previous embodiment. Likewise, in the embodiment of Fig. 5 the upper edge of the channel iron protects the end of the wooden platform in the same manner in which the upper edge of the transverse channel irons 30 and 32 protect the edges of the wooden `platform of the first embodiment.

The great majority of push cars, of the kind to which our invention is particularly adapted, are not provided with brakes and in the drawing we have shown a push car which has no brakes. In some instances it is found desirable to provide such push cars with brakes, and it will be understood that push cars embodying our invention may be provided with any usual or conventional type of brake.

While we have illustrated and described only two embodiments of push car incorporating our invention, it will be understood that our invention may assume numerous forms andis not to b-e construed as limited to the details shown and described herein.

We claim:

l. A car oor construction comprising longitudinally extending boards, a transverse channel iron receiving the ends of said boards, a transversely extending sill adjustably attached to said channel iron to support said boards, means for moving said sill longitudinally of said boards to force said boards firmly against the overhanging lip of said channel iron.

2. A car floor construction comprising longitudinally extending boards, a transversely extending channel iron receiving said boards and having an inclined surface overlying said boards, said channel iron having a second inclined surface, a sill interposed between said boards and said second inclined surface, and means for adjusting said sill relative to said second inclined surface to force said boards against said first inclined surface.

3. In a car floor construction, the combination of a longitudinally extending board, a transversely extending channel iron receiving the end of said board, a wooden member secured to said channel iron, a second wooden member interposed between said rst named member and said board, one of said members having an inclined surface, and means for adjusting one of said wooden members to force the end of said board into Contact with the overhanging edge of said channel iron.

4. A car floor construction comprising longitudinally extending boards, a transverse channel iron receiving the ends of said boards, and means adjustable relative to said channel iron to support said boards and force said boards firmly against the overhanging lip of said channel iron, said means exerting equal and opposite forces on said boards and the other lip of said channel iron.

5. In a push car of the class described a combination of wheels, a pair of spaced longitudinally extending channel irons supported on said Wheels, tubular handle members welded to the ends of said channel irons and cooperating with the latter to form a rectangular frame, a pair of transversely extending channel irons Welded to said rst mentioned channel irons adjacent the ends thereof, transversely extending angle irons Welded to said first mentioned channel irons at spaced intervals intermediate said second mentioned channel irons, a longitudinally extending metal strip Welded to said angle irons and transverse channel irons, couplings attached to the ends of said strip, a diagonal brace comprising an angle iron Welded to the transverse channel irons, said strip, and tWo of said angle irons, and a wooden platform attached to said irons, said transverse channel irons overlying and protecting the ends of said platform.

6. In a push car of the class described a combination of Wheels, a pair of spaced longitudi nally extending channel irons supported on said Wheels, tubular handle members Welded to the ends of said channel irons and cooperating with the latter to form a rectangular frame, a pair of transversely extending channel irons welded to said first mentioned channel irons adjacent the ends thereof, transversely extending angle irons Welded to said rst mentioned channel irons at spaced intervals intermediate said second mentioned channel irons, a longitudinally extending metal strip Welded to said angle irons and transverse channel irons, wooden sills secured to said transversely extending channel irons, and a wooden platform attached to said sills, said platform comprising longitudinally extending boards, the ends of said boards extending into said transversely extending channel irons, the upper edges of said transverse channel irons extending above the upper surface of said platform.

7. In a push car of the class described, the combination of Wheels, a pair of spaced longitudinally extending channel irons supported on said wheels, tubular handle members Welded to the ends of said channel irons and cooperating vvith the latter to form a rectangular frame, a pair of transversely extending channel irons yielded to said first mentioned channel irons adjacent the ends thereof, transversely extending angle irons Welded to said first mentioned channel irons at spaced intervals intermediate said secondmentioned channel irons, a longitudinally extending metal strip Welded to said angle irons and transverse channel irons, couplings attached to the ends of said strip, a diagonal brace cornprising an angle iron welded to the transversely extending irons, wooden sills secured to said transversely extending channel irons, a Wooden platform attached to said sills, said platform comprising longitudinally extending relatively thick hard Wood boards forming the edges of said platform and relatively thin soft Wood boards intermediate said hard wood boards, the ends of said boards extending into said transversely extending channel irons, and adjustable means associated With each of said transversely extending channel irons for maintaining the ends of said boards rmly pressed against the lower side of the upper flange of said last mentioned channel irons, the upper edges of said transverse channel irons extending above the upper surface of said platform.

HUGH sBRoWN. GODFREY E. THOMSON. 

